Draft law doubles foreigners' realty ownership terms in Vietnam
3/8/17
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Foreign men check out a real estate project in Vietnam |
If
passed, the new law will give foreigners a 99-year lease for properties in
special economic zones.
Vietnam’s
government has expressed support for a new draft law that would give foreigners
99-year leaseholds on properties they buy in key investment areas.
The
Ministry of Planning and Investment presented the bill to the cabinet on
Wednesday, suggesting the leasehold duration for foreigners in special economic
zones should be nearly doubled from the current 50 years.
Vietnam has 18 special economic zones and is
developing three more in Quang Ninh Province
near the Chinese border, the central province
of Khanh Hoa, and Phu Quoc Island in the southern province of Kien Giang.
Prime
Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said the bill had been carefully drafted but needed
to stand out to draw more investment to the zones.
Industry
insiders told that they are "excited" by the news.
Neil
MacGregor, Managing Director of property consultancy firm Savills in Vietnam, said
in an email that "This is good news for the property market." But the
market should await details, he said, including confirmation that foreigners
would indeed receive a 99 year leasehold title and not just a lease from a developer.
The
bill will be reviewed by the legislative National Assembly for approval this
October.
Vietnam opened up its housing market to
outsiders in July 2015, allowing foreign investment funds, foreigners with
valid visas, and international firms operating in Vietnam and overseas to buy
unlimited residential properties with a leasehold of 50 years.
There
are around 82,000 foreigners working and living in Vietnam. Before the amendments to
the Housing Law, each of them were elegible to buy one apartment providing they
were either married to Vietnamese nationals, held managerial positions or had
contributed to the country.
Industry
insiders believe that easing ownership restrictions has created more interest
in the local housing market, but many people complain that regulations and
paperwork are still very complicated for foreign buyers.
Meanwhile,
many Vietnamese are pouring money into overseas properties, particularly in the
U.S., which PM Phuc says is
a sign that Vietnam’s
investment environment needs to improve.
Vietnamese
ranks ninth among foreign buyers of residential properties in the U.S., according
to the 2017 Profile of International Activity in U.S. Residential Real Estate
issued by the U.S. National Association of Realtors last month.
The
report said Vietnamese people spent over $3 billion buying homes across the
Pacific in the year ending March 2017.
All comments [ 10 ]
Vietnam welcomes all foreigners to come an invest in Vietnam
This is good news for the property market
Vietnam has created a lot of favorable policies for foreign investors
it may take time to fully evaluate the impacts of the new policy that allows foreigners to own a home here. However, this is really a sign of the Government
It’s an extremely competitive gesture of the Vietnamese Gov
the new rule would guarantee more rights for non-residents in Vietnam
If passed, there would be many foreigners who will buy house in Vietnam
Vietnam’s investment environment has improved so much
I really want to buy a new house in Vietnam because Vietnam is so wonderful with lost of beautiful landscapes and people is so friendly
I love Vietnam
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